Timing system for producing slub yarn



P 195.5 J. A; BRADSHAW 2,763,819

I' I TIMING SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING SLUB YARN Filed Aug. 26, 1953 4 Sheet's-Sheet 1 Fig.1

IN V EN TOR.

JOHN A. BRADSHAW p 18, 1956 J. A. BRADSHAW TIMING SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING SLUB YARN 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26. 1953 JNVENTOR.

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JOHN A. BRIJDJHAW AZTORMEIJ United States Patent TllVIING SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING SLUB YARN John A. Bradshaw, Greenville, S. C., assignor to J. P. Stevens & Co., Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application August 26, 1953, Serial No. 376,651

3 Claims. (Cl. 317-135) This invention relates in general to timing control means, and in particular to a timing system for controlling the production of slub yarn that is especially well adapted for use with a slubbing mechanism such as is disclosed in copending application Serial No. 377,088, filed August 28, 1953.

As is well known, slub yarn is commonly produced on a spinning frame by varying the drafting roll drive so that either the rear rolls are speeded up or the front rolls are slowed down at irregular intervals to form bunches or slubs in the yarn being spun during the speed change intervals. The disclosure of the above noted copending application describes and illustrates a slubbing mechanism by which the required drafting roll speed changes can be effected very precisely and smoothly, and in which the speed change elements may be operated advantageously by a solenoid actuated clutch.

The timing system of the present invention is adapted for controlling the solenoid for a clutch of this sort so that a program for the irregular intervals of speed change in the slubbing mechanism can be selected and established beforehand to obtain with great flexibility any slub pattern desired as a result of the operation of the slubbing mechanism. This timing system is also applicable for use generally as a timing control means, but in view of its particular adaption for use in controlling the slubbing mechanism of the above noted copending application, it is described in detail below principally in relation to this use, and in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation illustrating a suitable assembly of mechanical operating elements for a timing system embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a left side elevation corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram, in front elevation, representing the arrangement of the timer drum drives;

Fig. 4 is a similar schematic diagram, in left side elevation, further illustrating the left hand timer drum drive as seen in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar schematic diagram, in right side elevation, further illustrating the left hand timer drum drive as seen in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged working face elevation, in quarter section, of one of the timing drums (i. e., the left hand one), and showing the manner in which the micro switch operating cam lugs are shiftably or adjustably fixed in place;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation detail of a device for coupling the timing drums so that they may be driven together; and

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram for the timing system of the present invention.

Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings show a representative assembly of mechanical operating elements for a timing system arranged according to the present invention as indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. These operating elements are shown assembled on a base plate 2,763,819 Patented Sept. 18, 1956 ice 12 and comprise a constant speed gear motor 14 having a worm 16 coupled on the output shaft thereof.

Below the gear motor 14, a mounting bracket 18 is carried on the base plate 12 in which journal bearings are provided at 20 and 22 for a countershaft 24, and at 26 and 28 for stub shafts 30 and 32. The countershaft 24 has fixed thereon at one end a worm wheel 34 engaging the previously mentioned worm 16 that is coupled to the gear motor 14. Also, this countershaft 24 is fitted in spaced relation outside the journal bearings 20 and 22 with spur gears 36 and 38 and carries respectively adjacent swing brackets 40 and 42 that are pivotable about the axis of countershaft 24.

These swing brackets 40 and 42 are arranged to carry the intermediate gears of gear trains running from the spur gears 36 and 38 (compare Figs. 3, 4 and 5). In the case of the spur gear 36, the gear train shown comprises simply an intermediate idler 44 mounted on the swing bracket 40, while the intermediate gears on the swing bracket 42 forming the train from the spur gear 38 comprise a complex of two coaxially mounted gears 46 and 48, together with two further gears 50 and 52 that are also coaXially mounted.

In both cases the above noted gear trains run to spur gears 54 and 56 carried by the previously mentioned stub shafts 30 and 32 that have timing drums 58 and 60 mounted thereon inside the journal bearings 26 and 28. The arrangement provided for the gear trains to the final spur gears 54 and 56 not only allows the timing drums 58 and 60 to be driven at selected different speeds, but makes it possible for the final spur gears 54 and 56 to be arranged as replaceable change gears, and also for either of the gear trains to be disconnected readily through displacement of the swing brackets 40 and 42 so that the timing drums 58 and 60 may be coupled for driving together, as will be noted further presently.

The form of the timing drums 58 and 60 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 6 of the drawings, in which the left hand timing drum 58 is shown, and in which it will be seen that the periphery of the drum 58 is formed with a central circumferential surface portion 62 having reference graduations arranged thereon, and with circumferential grooves 64 at each side thereof. These grooves 64 form positioning seats for operating cam lugs 66 and 68 associated with the timing drum 58 as shown in Fig. 6, the timer drum 60 being similarly arranged for cam lugs 70 and 72 (see Fig. 1). These cam lugs such as 66 and 68 amount to round headed set screws, and are assembled with clamping brackets 66' and 68' adapted to grip the underside of the rim of timing drum 58 (or 60) when the cam lugs 66 or 68 are seated in either of the grooves 64, the result of this arrangement being that the cam lugs 66 and 68, or 70 and 72, may be shiftably fixed on the timing drums 58 (or 60) in relation to the graduations of the central peripheral surface 62 as may be required for the slubbing pattern desired; it being understood that while only two cam lugs 66 and 68 are illustrated at either side of the timing drum 58, others may be additionally spaced about the timing drum periphery as required.

It should also be noted at this point that a duplex form of clamping bracket 74, as shown in Fig. 7, may be used alternatively or additionally as a coupling device for the timer drums 58 and 60 when it is desired to drive them together. When used for this purpose the duplex clamping bracket 74 may be assembled either with cam lugs such as 68 and 70, or with conventional set screws (not shown) if no cam function is wanted at the point of coupling.

The cam lugs 66, 68, 70 and 72 carried by the timing drums 58 and 60 serve as selective operating means for single pole, double throw, momentary contact micro switches 76, 78, 80 and 82 carried in relation to the t1ming drums 58 and 60 on the base plate mounting bracket 18. The, mounting bracket also. carries a switch plate 84 on which are mounted a line or power switch 86, and two single pole, double throw, maintained contact selector switches 83 and 99. In addition, there are mounted on the base plate 12 two double pole, double throw, relay switches 92 and 94, and a terminal strip 96 at which the electrical connections for these elements may be made as illustrated in the wiring diagram of Fig. 8.

In Fig. 8,, the timing system operating elements previously described above are represented within the dotted line box, and are designated again generally by the reference numeral. 19. To illustrate the operation of the timing system 10, a solenoid is represented at under the control of a relay contactor C, the actuating coil for which is, represented at R. The solenoid S represents the clutch actuating means for a slubbing mechanism such as is disclosed in the above noted copending application and previously described in principle. In relation to the disclosure of the copending application it should be further noted here that a slub would be formed upon deenergizing of the solenoid S by opening of the contactor C through deenergizing of its actuating coil R.

To control the action of the solenoid S, a line or power circuit is provided, through the power switch 86, and in which line circuit the contactor actuating coil R is connected. Also connected in this line circuit are one pole of each of the relay switches 92 and 94, and the selector switches 88 and 99 which may be arranged selectively in an on-position for maintaining the respective relay switches 92, 94 in a normally closed position and in an off-position for maintaining the relay switches 92, 94 in a normally open position.

The actuating coils 92 and 94 for the relay switches 92 and 94 are connected in bridging circuits across the line, and these bridging circuits also include, respectively, the micro switches 76 and 78, and 80 and $2, in parallel connected pairs. The micro switches 76 and 86 are further connected so that they are normally open and thereby function to energize the actuating coils 92 or 94' whenever they are closed; while the micro switches 78 and 82 are connected to be normally closed and have the second pole of the relay switches 92 and 94 in series therewith so as to form a holding circuit for the actuating coils 92' and 94' whenever they are energized. The gear motor 14 provided for driving the timing drums 58 and at is also connected across the line as shown.

With the selector switches 88 and 90 at the on-position shown, formation of a slub would be started upon momentarily closing either of the normally open micro switches 76 and 8G, and would continue until the related normally closed micro switch 73 or 82 was momentarily opened. If either of the selector switches 88 or 9% were shifted to the off-position, and the actuating coil .92 or 94' for the related relay switch 92 or 94 were first energized, then formation of a slub would be started upon opening of the related micro switch 75 or 82, and would be stopped upon closing of the corresponding micro switch 76 or 86. The advantage afforded by this selective arrangement is to allow the formation when desired of either very short slubs, or very short spaces between slubs, for by operating the involved micro switches in close overlapping succession from the timing drums 58 or 6th, the slub formation can be stopped or restarted immediately it the selector switches 38 and 96 are properly set to obtain the slub or space effect desired upon de energizing of the relay 92 or 94' involved.

in addition, the actuatingarrangement illustrated in Pig. 8 allows a plurality of independent. slubbing pattern programs, such as indicated by the legends Frog-ram A and Program B, to be superimposed so as to obtain an infinite selection in the randomness desired for a slubbing pattern. Alternatively, either the Program A or the Program B may be operated separately, or they may be coupled to run together as an enlarged single program. The result is an exceptional flexibility in the slubbing effects obtainable, while at the same time providing for precise pre-selection and control.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. in a timing means for controlling the production of slub yarn, a relay contactor, a line circuit including the actuating coil for said contactor, a double pole, double throw, relay switch having one pole thereof arranged in said line circuit and having the switch at said line circuit pole biased in one direction, a single pole, manually operated, double throw, selector switch arranged in said line circuit for shifting to render said line circuit normally open or normally closed selectively at said relay switch line circuit pole and thereby correspondingly render said relay contactor normally deenergized or normally energized, a bridging circuit across said line circuit including the actuating coil for said relay switch and a pair of micro switches connected from said relay switch actuating coil in parallel, one of said pair of micro switches being normally open and being connected directly from said relay switch actuating coil, the other of said pair of micro switches being nor-mally closed and being connected from said relay switch actuating coil in series with a normally open switch at the other pole of said relay switch, whereby momentary closing of said normally open micro switch results in energizing said relay switch actuatin coil through said bridging circuit thereby throwing the switches at both poles of said relay switch and providin a holding circuit for the actuating coil thereof through said normally closed micro switch.

2. In a timing means for controlling the production of slub yarn through a solenoid actuated clutch arranged to determine the action of a slubbing mechanism, a relay control for energizing and deenergizing the solenoid of said clutch, a line circuit including the actuating coil of said relay control, at least one double pole, double throw, relay switch having one pole thereof arranged in said line circuit and having the switch at said line circuit pole biased in one direction, a single pole manually 0perated double throw, selector switch arranged in said line circuit for shifting between an on-position at which said line circuit is rendered normally closed and an oit-position at which said line circuit is rendered normally open, a bridging circuit across said line circuit for each relay switch and including the actuating coil for said relay switch and a pair of micro switches connected from said relay switch actuating coil in parallel, one of said pair of micro switches being normally open and being connected directly from said relay switch actuating coil, the other of said pair of micro switches being normally closed and being connected from said relay switch actuating coil in series with a normally open switch at the other pole of said relay switch whereby momentary closing of said normally open micro switch energizes said bridging circuit thereby throwing the switches at both poles of said relay switch and providing a holding circuit for the actuating coil thereof through said normally closed micro switch and further deenergizing said solenoid by opening said line circuit through the actuating coil of said relay control when said selector switch is at on-position and energizing said solenoid by closing said line circuit when said selector switch is at off-position.

3. In a timing means for controlling the production of slub yarn a relay contactor, a line circuit including the actuating coil for said contactor, a double pole, double throw, relay switch having one pole thereof arranged in said line circuit and having the switch at said line circuit pole biased in one direction, a single pole, manually operated, double throw, selector switch arranged in said line circuit for shifting to render said line circuit normally open or normally closed selectively at said relay switch line circuit pole and thereby correspondingly render said relay contactor normally deenergized or normally energized, a bridging circuit across said line circuit including the actuating coil for said relay switch and a pair of micro switches connected from said relay switch actuating coil in parallel, one micro switch of said pair being normally open and being connected directly from said relay switch actuating coil, the other micro switch of said pair being normally closed and being connected from said relay switch actuating coil in series with a normally open switch at the other pole of said relay switch, and means for closing said normally open micro switch momentarily thereby energizing said relay switch actuating coil through said bridging circuit, throwing the switches at both poles of said relay switch and providing a holding circuit for the actuating coil thereof through said normally closed micro switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Perrett Feb. 4, Brown Oct. 20, Van Valkenburg Mar. 27, Fisher July 17, Frederick Sept. 1, Kriechbaum Nov. 23, Briggs July 23, Strong Aug. 27, Skelly July 29, Brown et al Feb. 10, Gates Feb. 8, Dehn Dec. 13, Robinson -2 Jan. 23, Mueller July 10, Schellens Ian. 15, 

